Japanese Kabocha Pumpkin Squares in Sugar, Cloves and Cinnamon Syrup

This is one of the most unusual recipes in this book as I use an alkaline solution made from quicklime to marinate the pumpkin squares. This creates a firm, crunchy outer layer in the pumpkin pieces while their inside will turn soft and creamy.

This is a very traditional Brazilian recipe I enjoyed many a time as I grew up in the country. Kabocha is a wondrous Japanese pumpkin that is sweet and creamy, working well with both savoury dishes and desserts. The skin has a lot of the good